Apparatus for drying and treating laundry



5 Sheets-Sheet l A. R. SLATE, SR., ET AL APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND TREATING LAUNDRY July 3, 1956 Filed Feb. 17, 1953 July 3, 1956 A. R. sLATE, SR., ET AL 2,752,770

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND TREATING LAUNDRY Filed Feb. 17, 195s 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 3, 1956 A. R. sLATE, SR.. ET AL 2,752,770

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND TREATING LAUNDRY Filed Feb. l?, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 74 63a I3 l 74 52 I i 77? 74 arneys United tates APPARATUS FR DRYHNG AND rlli@lti'lillslG LAUNDRY Arthur R. Siate Chicago and Hart Ko iin Glencoe,

a I Jr e 7 1 a` iii., assignors to Zephyr Laundry Macnme ompany, Chicago, lil., a corporation of Beinware Appiication February i7, i953, Serial No. 337,276

8 Simms.

Our invention relates to clothes dryers and more particularly to dryers of the hydraulic pressure extractor type.

Hydraulic extractors for drying laundry have heretofore uniformly employed a metal container having suspended therein a flexible bag which is impervious to water and which is slightly less in diameter than the container. A supply of clothes or laundry to be dried is deposited within the flexible bag, the laundry being normally contained in a nylon sack for ease in handling. Water is then forced between the iiexible bag and the container from a point near the bottom of the container to force the bag and the clothes contained therein upwardly against the container cover which is perforated, thereby forcing or pressing the water out of the clothes through the apertures in the cover. While this method has certain advantages over others, such as the rotary or centrifugal force extraction method it is subject to certain vexatious problems. it is among the purposes of the present invention to provide solutions to these problems.

After the laundry has been removed from prior structures it is noted that certain portions of the laundry have had less water removed than others. This is due primarily to the fact that the clothes were all pressed up against one drainage source, or water-escape area, the cover. Clothes at various distances removed from the cover are found Vto contain various amounts of water on the completion of the process. Similarly since the water from the clothes nearest the bottom had to be forced through all of the clothes between the bottom and the perforated cover the process required a substantial length of time for completion. Moreover with the use of a given hydraulic pressure the ilexible bag and clothes could be compressed just so far, pressure alone being relied upon, and only at certain amount of water could be removed through the perforation in the cover. While prior structures have been put into operation the amount of water which could be extracted has never been entirely satisfactory.

Likewise it has been the practice in the past to consider the extracting process somewhat as a distinct process from others in the laundry art. Chemical treatment of laundry has been accomplished at extractor stations, but in a manner which has proved time consuming and uneconomical, normally requiring the removal and replacing of the cover or the mere addition of certain chemicals across the top of the laundry in the extractor and the forcing thereof through the holes in the cover.

Accordingly, it is one purpose of our invention to provide an apparatus whereby a maximum of water may be removed from the laundry.

Another purpose is to provide an apparatus which shall be effective to remove water from laundry at the fastest possible rate.

Another purpose is to provide an apparatus which shall result in the removal of a substantially equal amount of water evenly from all portions of each individual increment of laundry.

Patented .italy 3, i956 Another purpose is to provide an apparatus for chemically treating laundry.

Another purpose is to provide an apparatus for simultaneously injecting into and extracting from a supply of laundry certain chemicals utilized in the laundry process.

Another purpose is to provide an apparatus eiective to employ the principles of gravity, capillary action and suction as well as pressure in the drying and treating of laundry.

Other purposes will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter in the course of the specication and claims.

We illustratelour invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side view, in part cross section, of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a View taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a detailed View on large scale taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a side view of an apparatus embodying one aspect of the invention, the view being in part cross section.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and claims.

Referring now to the drawings:

l indicates a cylindrical frame member having noticeably heavy walls normally made of metal and supported by the legs or supports 1a.

2 generally indicates a container or extractor body which is cylindrical and which has a diameter substantially less than that of frame i. The walls of the container 2 are likewise made of metal or other substantial substance in order to withstand the pressure involved in the hydraulic pressure extractor method. The container 2 has a curved bottom 3 for strength and preferably the depth of the container 2 is exceeded by its diameter. An annular ilange or Shelf 4 is secured, as by Welding, to the inner wall of the frame ll and the outer wall of the container 2 at a point substantially near the bottom of the container 2 to support said container within said frame and to form a water tight seal between the walls of the frame and the container at this point. The container 2 has an outwardly extending flange or rim 5, the upper surface of which is grooved as at 6. Secured to the flange 5 is the clamping ring or rim 7 which has an inner diameter equal to that of the container 2, the lower surface of which has the groove 8 in registration with the groove 6, the ring '7 being secured to the flange 5 as by the bolts 9.

Clamped securely between the rim 5 and the ring 7 is the upper rim It@ of the flexible bag lll which is cylindrical and which has a diameter only slightly less than that of the container 2. The upper rim llt) of the bag il is formed to t snugly within the space delineated by the grooves 6 and 3 of the rim 5 and the clamping ring 7. The ilexible bag 1l which may be formed of rubber or material having the characteristics of rubber has a depth somewhat less than that of the container 2, as illustrated in Figure l, thus creating a space between the conically curved bottom 3 of the container 2 and the similarly curved bottom l2 of the llexible bag llll.

indicated at l5 is a cover adapted to seat upon the clamping ring 7. The cover i5 has a plurality of apen tures 16 throughout its generally curved surface, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. Secured to the y cover l5 centrally thereof is the supplemental cover or wardly extending anges 21 and 22. The flange 22 seats on the frame member 1. Since the clamping ring 20 is generally vertically inwardly conical in shape the upper portion thereof, when the cover 15 is removed from the structure, rests upon the upper surface of the ilange 23 onto allow the lugs on the cover to pass therebetween.

Since the clamping ring and mechanism forms no part of the present invention it will not be hereafter further discussed. 1t is sufficient to realize that the clamping ring 20 is turned annularly of the flange 23 to permit the lugs on the cover 15 to pass downwardly between those on the upper portion of the ring 2t) and thereafter ring 20 is again turned to bring the said lugs into the registration to clamp the cover 15 securely against the ring 7 on the frame 2.

The cover 15 and splash cover 17 are` secured together and are secured to a supporting arm 3G as by the securing members 31. The supporting arm 30 is pivotally mounted on a post 32 which is jcurnaled in a standard 33. When the clamping ring 2u is turned to permit the lugs of the cover 15 to pass upwardly between those on the ring 2i) to remove the cover the post 32 may be raised within the standard 33 in any well known manner, such as by use of hydraulic pressure controlled by the valve 34, to raise the cover. Thereafter the arm 30 may be rotated on the post 32 to move the cover out of alignment with the container 2 and thereby permit clothes contained within the bag 11 to be removed therefrom. Since the cover 15 is necessarily somewhat heavy in order to withstand the pressure exerted thereon a substantial structure is required for removal and transfer of the cover from one position to another. Since the mechanism for support and moving of the cover does not form a part of the present invention it will not be further discussed herein.

Spaced about the annular tiange 18 ot the cover member 15 are the slots or openings 4t) which place in cornmunication the space 39 between the cover 15 and the supplemental cover 17 and the space 40a between the lower surface of the inward flange 21 on the clamping ring 2l) and the upper surface of the outer annular ilange 41 on the cover member 15 as will be seen from a view of Figure l. The outer ange 41 is of a diameter less than inner diameter of the ring 29 thus creating a space 4Gb therebetween which is in communication with the forementioned space 43a. The clamping ring 7 likewise has an outer diameter which is less than the inner diameter of the frame member 1 thus creating the annular space 40C. The outer ange or rim 5 of the container 2 is apertured as at 42 to place in communication the space 40C and the relatively large space A between the container 2 and the frame 1 which constitutes a drain trough bounded by these walls and the ring or horizontal bottom wall 4. Thus it will be seen that a continuous annular passage or channel is created from the area within the llexible bag 11 beneath the cover 15 through the apertures 16, the'space 39, openings 40, spaces 40a, 4Gb, 49e and apertures-42 to the space or drain basin A. 43 is a drain pipe connected to the frame member 1 at a point just above the annular ring 4 and in communication with the annular space A.

Generally centrally located in the curved bottom 3 of the container 2 is the opening 5t) which may be connected by a pipe 51 to a source of hydraulic fluid pressure to place said source in communication with the space B between the container 2 and the flexible bog 11. Indicated at 52 is an extraction body having an outwardly extending annular flange 53 and having a central well 54 extending downwardly therein. The portion of the body 52 above the annular flange 53 is threaded as at 55. 56 denotes an annular nut threaded on the threads 55, to form a clamp between itself and the annular ange 53. The bottom 12 of the flexible bag 11- hasthe ,central ,aperture 57. through i which the threaded upper portion of the body 52 extends. Thus the nut 56 clamps the area around the opening 57 in the bag 11 against the annular ange 53. Secured to the body 52 as by the screws 58 which are threaded into the nut 56 is the extraction screen or cap 59. The screen or suction strainer 59 is spaced as indicated at C from the upper surface of the drain body 52 and the nut 56 as by the spaces 60 and 61 which surround the Shanks of the screws 58. The screen 59, which may 'oe generally domeshaped, has the vertical opening 62 extending therethrough. Connected to the body 52 in communication with the well 54 is a drain pipe or suction tube means 63, which is formed of ilexible tubing the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. The pipe 63 is curved about within the container 2 in tbe space B between the conical bottom 3 and the bottom 12 before extending through the wall of the container 2 as at 64. 65 indicates a coupling to facilitate the use of generally rigid pipe outside the container 2 and the use of ilcxible tubing inside the container 2. Thus it will be seen that the area within the ilexible bag 11 is spaced in communication, through apertures 62, the space C, the well 54 and the drain or suction tube means 63, with an area or structure outside they container 2,

In Figure 4 we illustrate a structure adapted to further eiect the efficiency of our invention in removing more water faster and more evenly and to permit improved chemical treatment of the laundry within the flexible bag 11 without additional steps. The structure illustrated in Figure 4 is essentially that shown in Figure l with the exception that the area or well 54 in the valve body 52 may be somewhat larger and is given in Figure 4 the numeral 54a. Threaded into the side of. the valve body 52 is the fitting 70. Connected to the. opposite end of the tting 70 is the llexible extraction pipe 63a which may be somewhat larger than the pipe- 63-shown in Figure l. Spaced centrally within the titting 70 is the pipe 71 which is supported and spaced by the spacers or web 72. Connected to the pipe 71 as by` the coupling 73 (shown in dotted lines) is the ilexiblrv tubing 74 which runs through the tubing 63a. The drain or suction tubing 63a and tubing 74 continue through therwalls of the container 2 and the frame 1 as illustrated at75. Connected to the pipe 71 as by the elbow 76 is `the upwardly extending flexible tubing 77 which extends-through the extraction screen 59 to a point adja. Cent the center of the flexible bag 11. rThe tlexible tub-l ing 77 has a plurality of apertures 78 in its side walls spaced throughout its area above the screen 59 and is free to liex as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4 in; response to the movement and pressure of clothesl in the; bagll.

The drain or; suction means 63a may be connected, to -a `drain-receiving means or to a suction producing means. Neither a drain receiver or a suction source is shown in the drawings since neither of itself forms an integral part of the present invention. The flexible tubing 74 lmay be connected to a source of suction or drain. receivingk means likewise, or it may be connected to a source of chemical supply under pressure, which is notA shown since the particular chemical supplying apparatus doesnot of itself form an integral part of the present# invention..

It will: be realized that, whereas, we have described' and illustrated a practical and operative devicefnevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape. number and disposition of parts without departingfrom the spirit of our invention. We therefore wish our description and drawings to be taken as in Va broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather thanV as limiting us to our precise showing.

The' use and operation of our invention are as follows:

We provide an hydraulic extractor which is eiective` to lremove. .a substantially greater amount; in theorder of 50 per cent more, of the water fromy laundrypub -irr S the flexible bag 11. When water under pressure, which may be of the order of 90 to 325 or 340 pounds is allowed to pass through the pipe 51 and to ll the space between the bag 11 and the container 2 the bag 11 is forced upwardly from the bottom and inwardly from the sides to press the laundry against the cover 15. Water is thereby forced to ilow through the apertures in the cover. Since this water is under pressure it sprays out of these openings with some force. In our invention the splash cover 17 receives the impinging water which then loses its momentum and flows evenly under the force of gravity through our openings 40 to the drain trough A and drain 43. Whereas prior structures have relied entirely on the forcing of water from the clothes through apertures in the cover of a container, we provide an additional source for removal of such water which is illustrated in detail in Figure 3.

Our extraction mechanism 52-59 is located in the bottom area of the bag 11. Thus gravity and capillary action are working to cause water to flow from the clothes downwardly through our extraction means 52-59. By capillary action, we means the action which occurs when a wet cloth is placed against a dry cloth and the dry cloth absorbs some of the moisture from the wet cloth. In the particular matter at hand, the clothes near the bottom of the bag, as the water therein is forced downwardly through the screen 59 and space C, will absorb water from the clothes immediately above and, for want of a better term, we have called this action capillary. As our bag 11 is forced upwardly the pressure on the clothes is added to aid and increase the flow of water downwardly therethrough. Thus gravity, capillary action and pressure may combine to draw water downwardly and from all sides and the clothes which are near the bottom of the flexible bag il may be dried to a greater extent than heretofore by the extraction of Water from them through the extraction screen 59 and extraction body 52. As the bag 11 is raised and compressed in response to the hydraulic pressure created between it and the container 2, the screen 59 and body S2 travel with the bag, the flexibility and length of the tubing 63, 63a are such as to permit it to travel and move with the bag without injury. As shown in dotted lines in Figure l the screen 59 and body 52 are free to assume an inclined position when required. The space C and apertures 62 are effective to prevent clogging and to permit maximum extraction of water.

Similarly, with prior structures, certain portions of the laundry would be dried to a greater extent than others. We provide means whereby the extraction may be uniform throughout the flexible bag 11.

We provide also means whereby the water contained within a bag of laundry may be removed at a much greater rate than was heretofore possible. Since prior structures relied entirely upon drainage through the cover it was necessary for the water in the clothes contained along the bottom of a flexible bag to be forced out of those clothes and through all of the clothes lying above them in order to reach the openings in the cover. We provide means whereby such water may be extracted through the escape means 59-52 and flexible tubings 63 and 63a. Thus a greater amount of laundry may be handled within any given period of time than was heretofore possible.

The advantages above described may be further realized when the tubing 63 or 63a is attached to a source of suction. When this is done not only the hydraulic pressure against the bag 11 but the suction existing at the drain screen 59 is used to withdraw water from the laundry contained in the flexible bag 11. Since the suction will exist well below the cover i and since the cover is perforated it will be readily seen that no vacuum would thus be created within the flexible bag 11, but on the contrary a smooth dow of water is created.

The flexible tubing 77 may be utilized as extractingA means along with the extraction screen 59 and extraction body 52. When the structure illustrated in Figure 4 is used, the laundry may be placed loose within the bag 11. As described with relation to the extraction screen and extraction body 52 above, the central tubing 77 may be simply an escape or may be connected to a source of suction to further affect the speed and effectiveness of the extraction process.

During the laundry process it is often important to treat the laundry with particular chemicals. We provide a structure whereby this may be accomplished in conjunction with the drying process which may be conducted generally simultaneously therewith. The flexible tube 77 may be connected to a source of such chemicals. Valves controlling the chemical supply to the tube 77 and the supply of hydraulic fluid to the pipe 5l may be controlled to govern and time the dual process of chemical treatment and extraction. Thus chemicals may be forced to flow through the apertures 78 and the tube 77 and from thence into and through the clothes within the bag 11 and the chemicals as well as the water in the clothes may be simultaneously extracted or withdrawn through the cover 1S and the extraction screen 59 which may be connected to a source of suction. When desired, it will be readily seen that a supply of rinse water could be forced through the tube 77 and apertures 7S after the chemicals, the rinse water flowing through the clothes and being extracted in the same manner as other moisture in the clothes. Similarly the tube 77 may be consecutively used to supply chemicals or water to the clothes and to extract the same therefrom. ln like manner, in a particular installation, the tube 63, body 52 and screen 59 alone may be used to supply chemicals to the vclothes and thereafter, through a control valve7 the chemicals could be extracted through the same screen, body and tube.

We claim:

l. In a hydraulic pressure extractor, an open-ended container, an open-ended flexible bag having its open end secured to the open end of said container and extending within said container, means for admitting pressure fluid between said container and said bag, a perforated removable cover for said bag, and extraction means extending within the area of said bag and free to move in response to said pressure fluid, said extraction means being formed and adapted to place the area within said bag in communication with an area outside said container, said extraction means comprising a body secured to the wall of said bag and having a central well therein, said body and said well being positioned partially within said bag and partially outside said bag, an apertured screen member secured to said body within said bag and overlying said well, said screen member being spaced inwardly within said bag from that portion of said body within said bag, said well having its open end in communication with the space between said screen member and said body and a flexible hose in communication with said well adjacent the bottom thereof outside said bag and extending between said bag and said container to a point outside said container.

2. Extraction means for hydraulic extractors having a flexible bag secured at its open ends to the open end of a container and a perforated cover for said bag, said means including an apertured member secured to said bag and free to move therewith, said apertured member comprising a screen having a plurality of apertures therethrough, said screen being positioned entirely within said bag, a body clamped to said bag and having a portion within said bag secured to and spaced from said screen, said body having a portion extending outside said bag, a well in said body extending from a point within said bag to a point outside said bag, said well being coaxial with said screen, and a flexible tube in communication withsaid well ata point outsidelsaid bag, and. extending tofa point -outside'the said container.

3. Extraction and supply means for hydraulicgextrac-l and free to flex therewithin, and a hollow flexible tube` connected to said first-named apertured member and extendingtherefrom to an ,area outside said container and a .second hollow flexible tube connected to said flexible apertured member and extending therefrom to an area outside said container, both ofsaid apertured members being tree to move in response to the flexing of said bag.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said iexible apertured member extends through said first-named apertured member and said second-namedy flexible tube extends through said rst-named liexible tube.

5. Extraction means for hydraulic pressure laundry drying apparatus having a exible bag movable within a container, comprising an extractor body connected to a wall of said bag and having a passage extending from a 4point within said bag to a point outside saidv bag, an extractor screen connected to said body at circumferentially spaced points thereon and spaced within said bag from the inner Walls thereof and from said body and a tube connected to said body and communicating with said passage at a point outside said bag and extending therefrom to a point outside said container.

6. In a hydraulic pressure extractor, an open-ended container, a lexible bag having its open end secured to the open end of said container and extending Within said container, said bag having a flexible substantially cylindrical side wall and a ilexible bottom wall, -an aperture in said bottom Wall, an extractor body positioned within said aperture and extending from a point Within' said bag to a point outside said bag, a well in said body having an -open end within said bag and a closed bottom end outside said bag, an apertured screen member positioned entirely within said bag and secured to said body in overlying relation to said welL, said screen member being spaced inwardly Within said bag 'from that portion of said body that is Within said bag, and a ilexible hose connected to said body at a point outside said bag and extending to a point outside said container to place said Well in communication with an area outside said container.

7. Extraction means for a hydraulic pressure laundry drying apparatus having a flexible bag movable Within a container and having a substantially cylindrical side Wall and a bottom Wall, the bottom Wall of said bag Cit having an 'aperture,an extractorrbody positioned, within said :aperture and clampeddo, said bottom. Wall of; said bag-about said` aperture, rsaid L extractorbody having portionextending within said bag and a portion extend.u ing-without said bag, a Central well in said bodyhaving an open end within -said bag and a closed end Without said baga screen member connected to. said body within said bag -and positioned to overlie said well, a ilexible hoseconnected to said body at a point outside saidl .bag and extending to a point outside said container, said, container having a pressure liuid inlet positioned to supply uid under pressure to the areavvbetween saidcontainer and .said bag at a point in alignment with `said body, said, bodyportion outside said bag extending down.

wardlyfrom said .bottom Wall of said bagrfor ya ,distance greater than Vthe extensionl of said body within said bag,A

said body portion outside said bag being `positioned directly over andvin alignment withsaid inlet when said' bag is in unflexed condition, said body being free to rise. in response to the flow of fluid under pressure into said' container through said inlet.

8. Extraction means for hydraulic pressure laundry drying apparatus having a container and a flexiblebag movable Within said container, said means comprising a flexible hollow tube having a portion Within said bag free to ex and move in ,response to movement of said bag, said tube portion withinsaidbag having a pluralityv of 'laterally directed apertures spaced longitudinally thereon, said tube having a non-apertured portion extending through the wallof said bag to a point outside said bag and a flexiblehollow hose connected to Asaid tube at a point outside said bag and extending therefrom -to a point outside said container to place the area Within' said` bag in communication with Athe area outside said container.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,710,698V Green Apr. 30, 1929 1,713,556 v Ritchie May 21, 1929 1,926,504 Njzn Sept. 12, 1933 1,966,213 Oelmann July 10, 1934 1,967,268, Serrington July 24, 1934 2,022,018 Van Westrum Nov. 26, 1935 2,075,967 Vittengl Apr. 6, 1937 2,099,365 Kemper Nov. 16, 1937 2,109,559 Wieken- Mar. 1, 1938. 2,265,516 Chayie Dec..9, 19.41 2,465,704 Aspman Mar. 129, 1949. 2,501,460 Watson Mar. r21, 195.0 2,598,057 Horvath` May 27, 1952 2,626,519 Pfeiffer Ian. 27,1953

FOREGN PATENTS 817,746 Germany Oct. 18,1951 

